Vocal Type: Mezzo soprano
Vocal Range: 3 octaves B2- D6 2 notes
Vocal Pluses: Meticulous control can be heard on every note, no matter how low or high, nor at what volume. Such control implies excellent support, breath control and understanding of her instrument- which may go some way to explain the longevity of her voice [2014 Medley].
Being an actress has given this Diva an emotiveness that is almost unparalleled amongst Divas. An example of this can be heard in the climax of Don't Rain On My Parade, where grunts, growls, swift changes in dynamics and tone are all employed to create a vocal that is as exhilarating as it is perfectly in sync with the narrative of the piece.
Her midrange is warm, and rounded with a beautiful easiness to it. There is no harshness or coarseness to be found in the voice. In fact, a slight haze can be heard at its edges, giving the voice a velvety texture [ Moon River]. Even when she chooses to add a more decisive ring to the notes, by switching to a more nasal placement, the voice still retains a pure tone- though it becomes more cutting. Both tones can be heard used in tandem during the intro of her Donna Summer duet Enough Is Enough, where she plays with tone and timbre masterfully.
The chest voice is where Streisand finds her voice at its most nasal. However, it's with this technique that the Diva has not only created her trademark sound, but also created a tone that rings with resonance, power and weight. It's this, and the Divas perfect mix, that allows high octave belted notes that do not suffer from any vocal deterioration (which usually comes from pulling up the chest voice) or loss of power (which comes from too heady a mix). It's another example of the control and understanding the Diva has over her versatile instrument [Tell Him].
The head voice is easily accessible and Streisand is able to navigate it nimbly and expertly. As with the rest of the voice, the control and support she offers her voice can be heard in the measured, full and resonant sound created. [Who's Afraid Of The Big Bad Wolf]
Vocal Negatives:The nasal ring is not to everyone's taste. However it has become less so as she has aged and her voice deepened.
i think Barbra Streisand's longest note is around 20-23
ReplyDeleteVocal Type: Mezzo Soprano
ReplyDeleteVocal Range: 2 Octaves (A3-A5)
Longest note: 25 seconds
I think Barbra Streisand is more of a Mezzo-Soprano
ReplyDelete@f3c051d0c4244d1ebbc0c72884143345 and @81f233c04de16ba16234ff2ed950a3b7 I got the "lyric Soprano" tag from http://barbra-archives.com/record/recording_streisand.html though I've read that her range has lowered to a mezzo or even contralto in recent years. I've also spruced up the Vocal positives and shaved some notes off of her lower range as I'm not sure the video is accurate.
ReplyDeleteI believe the incomparable ms. streisand is more of a mezzo-soprano, then a lyric. She has great vocal range and power even now. Thoughts?
ReplyDeleteI think I will change it to mezzo. As for her voice, it has held up brilliantly over time!
ReplyDeleteIs Barbra a mezzo-soprano or a soprano? I heard this on radio sometimes but I love the way to belt just like her.
ReplyDeleteI've studied voice at the USC Thornton School of Music. I would classify Barbra Streisand as a MEZZO SOPRANO BELTER. I'm 99% sure.
ReplyDeleteShe has a glorious mixed belt
ReplyDeleteWhat I find interesting about Barbra is that she uses vocal wobble as well as true Vibrato. However she makes use of the first more.
ReplyDeletepeople go crazy for her she doesn't really impress me
ReplyDeleteShe is a coloratura mezzo soprano, capable of singing anything. She cannot be overrated because except for possibly Whitney Houston, no one can touch this. Whitney attended Barbra's benefit concert in 1985. The camera panned onto Whitney in the audience...she looked dumbstruck. These women are naturals and often voice coaches can ruin them. I wonder if either of them ever used a coach. Supposedly, no.
ReplyDeleteI would add that she's able to hold notes for a long periods of time, like this 19 seconds belt:
ReplyDeletehttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qfve_e42JCI
... and probably even longer.
I come from Poland and I'm truly disappointed with the lack of appreciation or even recognition of Streisand in my country, so weird!
I think that's a worldwide thing actually.
ReplyDeleteMy theory is that it proves that old saying..."sling enough mud and some will stick".
Meaning that when she was at the height of her career a lot of journalists tried to really paint her as a terrible person and I think the residue is that a lot of people remembered that which over the years just turned into it being "uncool" to like her and finally a general ignoring by anybody but her actual fans.
I too feel disappointed with this. Annoys me that whenever someone brings up greatest singers everybody starts talking Whitney Houston first.Or when she died everybody was like "oh greatest singer ever" ( followed by Carey and now also Beyonce)
For my money Whitney had a great voice and a good technique but overall...Nope, she was not in Streisand's league.
Did you see that video of her concert in her garden. I thought it was fitting Whitney forked over 5000 $ to see Streisand live. ;)
( If only she had taken it as a little lesson in "less is more" and how it is about the song not about the ego. THEN maybe Whitney would have been in the same league. LOL)
Babs also has a flabulous control of the dynamics. Her phrasing is so subtle, refined.
ReplyDeleteNo one can ever go wrong with a voice teacher. The only reason people like that get ruined is because voice teachers teach them how to sing properly so they don't damage their instruments. It's just the vocalist lack of skill and ability that leads to their downfall.
ReplyDeleteWell, actually the only thing leading to Streisand"s "downfall" was age.:)
ReplyDeleteAnd she never had a voice teacher.
Whitney's downfall no voice teacher could have prevented. A life coach maybe.
I agree ! She is one of the most amaing singer that ever been, and though i love the site, i think she doesn't get the credit she deserve :)
ReplyDeleteNo one can ever go wrong with a voice teacher. The only reason people like that get ruined is because voice teachers teach them how to sing properly so they don't damage their instruments. It's just the vocalist lack of skill and ability that leads to their downfall.
ReplyDeleteI would say the two are equal Whitney lacked the accuracy of Babs and Babs lacked whitney southern gospel power. They had two different styles both distinctly amazing.
ReplyDeleteYou are totally free to say and think so. Obviously....I very much disagree.
ReplyDeleteNow please go pick fights with someone else. I promised I would one it down a bit to protect sensitive children here and you trying to get a rise out of me isn't helping. :-)
My other comment didn't include this, I wasn't trying to pick a fight with you but I wouldn't expect it would matter because you see the hate in everything and unless its something Opie says
ReplyDeleteCurious opie, would would you agree if I called Mariah the "greatest strictly-pop singer of her generation- and the ones after that'?
ReplyDelete^No such thing as a "mezzo soprano belter".
ReplyDeleteI guess Babs is the first and last then it seems fitting
ReplyDeleteIt seems you are determined for Mariah to be the Greatest something.:-)
ReplyDeleteBut yeah, I will happily agree she was definitly the greatest popsinger of her generation and one of the all time greats of popular music in general.
Show some compassion. She was only human. And she gave far more good to the world than she gave herself.
ReplyDeleteDon't be silly. First off. I am showing compassion. Her downfall was drugs and alcohol. I'm saying a life coach might have prevented her from choosing these in the first place, or helped her stop before becoming really addicted or get help earlier. She might have been alive today and her child not have to grow up with an addict as a mother.
ReplyDeleteAs for what Whitney ''gave the world'' imo the world could have done without it. I am afraid I'm far from positive over her influence on generations of singers. I think Whitney was a terrible thing to happen to singing. After her, lots of potentially great singers chose to belt belt belt and forego artistic or real emotion. Some fucking up their voices in the process.
Barbra Streisand studied for a month three hours a day with the legendary Judy Davis. She was a singing teacher. Marty Erlichman took Barbara to see her after she had trouble with her voice in Chicago which resulted in laryngitis losing her voice. She said Barbara did a lot of things naturally and she helped her. Judy Davis said, "Look. No singing teacher can teach anyone to sing. You tell them what tones are right and what techniques are best. A singer is a singer."
ReplyDeleteI think Barbra Streisand does consult the voice teachers on occasion when she is having a little strain or she's maybe forgotten to do something she used to. That happens but she doesn't really study with anyone except for that one month with Judy Davis. Judy Davis from all accounts was an extraordinary voice teacher and she helped some famous people or should I say she guided them into doing what they were doing correctly but then fell into bad habits while singing. Unfortunately, Judy Davis was not able to teach her technique to many other teachers I don't know why. But there are students of hers you teach the technique and I've heard good things about them. Please see the article by Herb Mickelson on Judy Davis.
ReplyDeletestreisand consider herself as a mezzo soprano,,,
ReplyDeleteshe's soprano; she doesn't have the typical "colour" of mezzo-soprano, surely the voice is quite dark for being soprano and maybe that's the reason why some thinks she's mezzo... Moreover, she's such "chest" singer; it's wrong to mistake her for a mezzo
ReplyDeleteListen to Kimbra, they have very similar colours (partucularly in the lower range though they attack singing in two different ways). Both are mezzos with vocal breaks in the same place.
ReplyDeleteI've always thought she was a soprano. Maybe not now but in her prime..
ReplyDeletenothing special
ReplyDelete"Judy Garland, Sarah Vaughan, Barbra Streisand, Ella Fitzgerald and Billie Holliday" etc...
ReplyDeleteThe standard for ALL aspiring popular- vocalists.
I would have to completely disagree with that. In fact, I think Whitney Houston is the best example of vocal technique. Her, Barbra Streisand, Aretha Franklin and Mariah Carey are the reasons why vocal technique has become so popular. I think that less talented singers will often just try to belt without knowing how to at all. Barbra, Aretha, Whitney, and Mariah all exceptional vocal technique with what they sing. You can tell Whitney's throat is always open when she's singing and that she's doing everything right because of the richness. If anything, Whitney has shown artists it's about the vocals, not just the beat in a song. Unfortunately, that what it is about anymore.
ReplyDelete